Robin Downes, 61, aka Yoga Flava, has been a certified yoga instructor who’s trained everyone from Russell Simmons and Brandy to NBA star John Sally. Her most unlikely “client” yet? Her father.
“I’ve found myself navigating one of the most challenging roles of my life: caregiver,” the former entertainment journalist and award-winning producer said.
Robin recently stepped up to take full-time care of her 85-year-old father when his live-in girlfriend and former nurse succumbed to dementia.
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“For a while, I didn’t have to worry about my dad because he was receiving great care from his lady friend, who had a background in healthcare,” Robin said. “But when she started to get sick herself, my dad couldn’t deal, so he turned to alcohol, which made things tougher for himself physically and mentally.”
Shortly afterward, his former girlfriend’s family intervened and removed her father from their shared home. That’s when Robin knew she had to take matters into her own hands using alternative methods.
“My father was in need of great repair from the inside out,” she said. “I knew about the healing powers that yoga provided me for more than 20 years, so I decided to show him a better way.”
Robin said she helped take her father’s physical therapy a step further by implementing key breathing techniques and restorative yoga exercises that not only improved joint mobility but also supported emotional wellness.
“Yoga is all about connecting to your body through your life source: breath,” she said. “Yogis invented the yoga poses to remind us to stop, breathe, and remember how beautiful it is to be alive.”
Yoga has been found to provide a wide array of tremendous health benefits, working physical and psychological wonders. Seniors, who often struggle with pain, joint stress, imbalance, osteoarthritis, and other physical limitations, can benefit from incorporating a yoga practice into their daily routine.
According to a study examining the effectiveness of yoga as an exercise for managing osteoarthritis in elderly women, researchers found that it provided therapeutic benefits.
Not only can these low-impact moves loosen your muscles, but they can also tone supporting muscles and help prevent injury.
Yoga can also help promote cardiothoracic function in the elderly. With age comes respiratory limitations and reduced tolerance to physical exertion. Anything that reduces
oxygen in the respiratory system can have negative effects on the mind and body. Previous studies have shown that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved respiratory function in elderly women.
With that being said, it can’t hurt to explore yoga, but it can be intimidating if you’re a beginner. If you’re looking to help your older loved one get into yoga but aren’t sure where to start, Robin suggests taking baby steps.
“Start with practicing your breathing,” she advised. “Breathing is the first step to meditation, which is an important part of yoga.” Eventually, implementing small and intentional flexibility movements can follow, as illustrated in her tutorial with her dad.
“I owe my career to my dad,” Robin said, referring to her father’s photography career. “He showed me that I was capable of doing whatever I set my mind to and for that, I owe him a healthier lifestyle.”
For more information about Robin Downes, follow her on Instagram at @YogaFlava.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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